Hon Chairperson, hon Deputy President, colleagues, today is a rather historic day, and I hope that the former member the hon Patrick Chauke, who is out there in North West, is watching the parliamentary channel today because he was the chairperson of the Home Affairs committee when the ANC very strongly opposed the contents of the Bill that is before us today. So, we have been campaigning for this for quite some time and, in the end, we are back here today where Parliament is now going to agree to the proposals in this Bill.
There is a young man called Henri le Riche, working abroad, in London, who started the campaign to allow South Africans abroad to vote. Obviously, many others also supported this cause, but in the end, here we are and are going to amend the Electoral Act to make this possible. I think it is very much possible, and a very good step in the interest of all South African citizens who are abroad and cannot vote.
I am not going into the technical issues of this Bill because they have been stipulated by the other members and the chairperson of the committee.
However, I find it rather strange that the DA is opposing this Bill. The first point is that the members of the DA in that committee did not oppose this when we voted on this Bill in the committee; they did not do that! So, here today, I understand the DA is now going to oppose this Bill. The problem is this ... read the Richter case, the Constitutional Court case!
I want to say to the DA that you know very well that it is not going to happen that people will also have a provincial vote when they are abroad. You know this! But what you are doing is being absolutely, extremely opportunistic! [Interjections.] [Applause.] You want to play for votes to try and create the impression out there for South Africa that the DA is the only party fighting for their rights. But you know that you are not going to succeed. For once in your lives be responsible and tell the electorate out there the truth. [Applause.] And, you know that it is not going to happen.
Last but not least, I want to say to the chairperson of the committee, thank you very much for the way in which you have conducted the business of the committee. I think we have done well for the South Africans abroad in this respect today. I only hope that the DA will come to its senses. Thank you. [Applause.]